If you have ever sat in front of a burning fire, you know that it can be a very pleasant experience. It is a great way to warm your home and it does reduce your electric bill. However, all fireplaces are not created equal and depending on what you want to use the fireplace for will determine what type of fireplace you need to have. You do want to use the most environmentally friendly fireplace that will suit your needs. Here are some of the more eco-friendly fireplaces you may want to consider:
Pellet Stoves
Pellet stoves use pellets made from waste materials and therefore are very environmentally friendly. They burn very clean and they are very low maintenance. The pellets can be loaded into an auger and can be automatically fed into the stove. Another added feature is that you do not need to install a chimney for the pellet fireplace.
There are however, some disadvantages to the pellet stove. They may not be allowed in mobile homes in your area so you will have to check with your particular county to see if you can install one in a mobile or modular home. They do require electricity to run and they can be very expensive. You will have to purchase pellets for your pellet stove. So, you should price the pellets and the unit, before you decide to go with this type of fireplace.
Wood-burning Fireplaces
Wood-burning fireplaces have a wonderful appeal. The fuel is renewable and if you have wood s on your property or know someone that does, you may be able to get your wood free. There is no electricity needed to burn wood except if you elect to put an electric blower on your unit. Putting one of these units on your wood-burning fireplace greatly increases the fireplace's heating capacity.
One thing about wood-burning fireplaces, and that happens to be one of the things that I do not like about them, is that they are messy. You do need to keep the ash cleaned out of the fireplace so it will work efficiently. Another thing about burning wood is the smoke that is produced which can be irritating to some people. Heat also escapes if you use an open fireplace versus a wood-burning insert. These are all things you should take into consideration when deciding which fireplace you want to use.
Electric Fireplaces
Electric fireplaces are not very expensive and they are convenient and portable. They do not produce real flames which makes them safer than a wood-burning fireplace. Actually, they are just a fancy space heater. They do, however, use electricity to run. They do not use as much as a central heating system does, but they still consume more than some of the other types of fireplaces.
Gas or Propane Fireplaces
These fireplaces are great. I have a propane fireplace because we do not have natural gas in our area. The gas or propane fireplace has a real flame but without the mess and the work of a wood-burning fireplace. Some of these models do not even require a chimney. No chimney means that you do not lose much of the heat as with a real wood-burning fireplace. And, if you have a blower on the unit, it will warm a large room rather quickly. When deciding on a gas or propane fireplace, check with the manufacturer regarding any carbon monoxide concerns. Carbon monoxide can be an issue with an unwanted or fireplace with no chimney. You will also need natural gas or propane to run the fireplace. Both of these are not inexpensive.
When deciding on one of these environmentally friendly fireplaces, check with the manufacturer or a knowledgeable person in the store where you will purchase it for information regarding the best type of fireplace for your needs.